Historic first Israel-UAE plane carrying officials takes off from Ben Gurion Airport

An El Al 971 commercial passenger plane carrying US and Israeli officials on historic first flight to United Arab Emirates took off on August 31 and entered Saudi air. three hours, 20-minute flight was a part of resumption of air travel between Israel and UAE as a part of rmalization of relations. Saudi allowing Israeli plane to cross its air makes travel viable commercial between Gulf countries and Israel, which orwise, would consume seven hours and more jet fuel, according to reports. UAE’s long-haul carriers Emirates and Etih Airways are would most likely be involved in future travels.

As per reports, carrier was boarded by high-level Israeli and US delegations and was bound for Abu Dhabi for delegates meeting on civil and ecomic aspects of rmalization of deal between Jerusalem and Abu Dhabi. It departed from Ben Gurion Airport making history at 10:30 a.m and is expected to land at 3:05 p.m, according to Israeli Airline Pilots Association, which released a tentative map of 971’s route on August 30. plane will slate through Saudi air. However, in an official statement until yesterday, Israeli pilots union stressed that route was uncertain and to ir kwledge hn’t been approved by Saudi government. Over years, Saudi Arabia has allowed only  Air India flights bound for Israel to use its air. gulf nation prohibited Israeli airlines to fly over nation, and refore, planes took a long detour via Red Sea, as per local Israeli reports. 

In a change of events, marking a historic decision, Saudi Arabia authorized use of its air after receiving a request from Washington this morning. A local Saudi brocaster cited high-level American delegation aboard plane as reason for change in Saudi government’s decision. flight number LY971 was a d to UAE’s international calling code, Saudi and Israeli media reported as plane prepared to take off from Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv. On return, jet will be numbered as LY972, as per Israel’s international calling code.

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Plane has peace logo emblem in Arabic

While re is news of two nations co-operating covertly, Israel in an open warm gesture to Saudi painted a large peace logo emblem in Arabic alongside English and Hebrew as it flies across Saudi Arabia air first time ever. Speaking during a press conference alongside US President Donald Trump’s senior viser Jared Kushner and US National Security viser Robert O’Brien hailed Saudi’s decision. Israeli PM in a press conference held immediately after lauded agreement, saying, Israel’s rmalization of ties with UAE will pave way for treaties with more Arab countries. He mentioned, at presser critically to having removed “Palestinian veto” between Jewish state and Arab world.

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(Im Credit: AP)